Funeral services were held Saturday, May 29, 2021, at Progress Baptist Church in Bassfield, for Mr. Robert Earl Graves, 79, who died Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at Jefferson Davis Community Hospital in Prentiss, .  Rev. Kenneth Harrison officiated with interment following in the church cemetery. Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Robert Earl Graves was born to the late Owen Graves and Carrie Mae Thompson in Jefferson Davis County.  He attended Carver High School and worked for Fairchild in Hattiesburg.  He later moved to Chicago, Illinois, and worked for Labline Corporation for 33 years.

He was preceded in death by five siblings, Jeanette Thompson, Annie P. Graves, Marilyn Thompson, Gregory Thompson and James E. Thompson; grandchild, Darryl Toney Jr. His youngest son, Roderick Graves died on May 23, 2021, after Mr. Graves death.

He is survived by his wife, Irene Graves of Broadview, Illinois; son, Clifford Graves of Chicago, Illinois; daughters, Teresa Graves and Carolyn Graves both of Madison, WI; and Tracy Graves of Chicago, Illinois; three stepchildren, Ryan Brown of Broadview, Illinois; Tiffany Brown of Jacksonville, FL; and Damien Brown of Chicago, Illinois; grandson raised as his own, Antoine Graves of Madison, WI; brothers, Charles (Sharon) Thompson of Chicago, Illinois; Ralph Thompson of Prentiss; Jeffrey Thompson, Duane Thompson both of Bassfield; sisters, Betty Womack and Cindy Thompson both of Bassfield; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; five great-great grandchildren and many other relatives and friends.